Glassware molds in a glassware molding machine typically are mounted on mold arms that are movable, typically pivotal, between an open position in which segments of the glassware molds are spaced from each other and a closed position in which the mold segments are brought together to form the glassware mold. Cooling fluid such as air is directed to the mold segments to cool the molds during operation. A general object of the present disclosure is to provide a simple and inexpensive arrangement for supplying cooling air to the molds of a glassware forming machine, and particularly one in which the quantity of cooling air fed to the molds can readily be optimized in the open position of the mold arms, the closed position of the mold arms, and/or mold arm positions between the open and closed positions.
The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.
A glassware forming machine in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure includes a machine section box having an upwardly directed cooling air outlet opening. At least one mold-carrying arm is disposed above the section box and movable between mold-open and mold-closed positions. An air manifold is carried by the mold arm overlying the section box and the outlet opening for delivering cooling air to at least one mold carried by the mold arm. The manifold has a cooling air inlet opening aligned with the cooling air outlet opening of the section box. A valve plate is mounted on the section box for movement overlying the section box outlet opening. The valve plate has a valve plate opening aligned with the outlet opening. The valve plate is operatively coupled to the mold arm such that position of the valve plate, and overlap between the outlet opening and the valve plate opening, varies with motion of the mold arm between the mold-closed and mold-open positions. The valve plate preferably is operatively coupled to the mold arm by a lost motion coupling.
A glassware forming machine, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, includes a machine section box having a cooling air outlet opening, at least one mold-carrying arm disposed above the section box and movable between mold-open and mold-closed positions, and means for delivering cooling air from the outlet opening to the mold arms. The machine in accordance with this aspect of the disclosure is characterized in that the means for delivering cooling air includes a valve plate mounted on the section box to pivot around an axis and having a valve plate opening that registers with the outlet opening in the section box. A pressure plate is mounted on the mold-carrying arm overlying the valve plate and has a pressure plate opening that registers with the valve plate opening. A coupling between the valve plate and the pressure plate pivots the valve plate on the section box as a function of motion of the mold-carrying arm between the mold-open and mold-closed positions such that cooling air is continuously fed to the mold-carrying arm through the valve plate and the pressure plate. The coupling preferably is a lost motion coupling such that motion of the mold arm is not imparted to the valve plate during initial motion in either the opening or the closing direction.